The Warrior Within
by Under the Setting Sun
Summary: During the events of The Fire Rises, Sam was sent, comatose, to the hospital. The events of this story are Sam's journey back to reality. I rate the story T, but some chapters will be upped due to content appearing in it.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters appearing in this story belong to CBS.

Evening Marathons

The evening at Riverside Memorial Hospital seem like any other evening. So when two nondescript men pulled up to the emergency room carrying an unconscious black male it didn't seem out of the ordinary to the nurses on shift. What the nurses didn't know, but were about to find out soon, was that this patient was held hostage and tortured.

"We need a hand here!" One of the men shouted carrying the body.

"What's the situation?" the head nurse asked.

"The man was being held hostage and tortured. When we found him he was already like this." The man said.

"What's wrong with him?" The nurse asked.

"He is in a coma, must have been torture one too many time." The man replied.

"What's his name?" The nurse asked.

"Jason Wyler." The man responded. The woman who was checking patients in took over and started to filling out the necessary information as the nurse continued to talk to the two men. When the woman checking in Jason was half way through the application process she got a red flag.

{Notify L.A.P.D if this man is brought in for medical work.} The notation read.

"Nurse," the woman said getting the head nurses attention and showing her the notation. The head nurse turned back to the men.

"Are you two with the L.A.P.D.?" The nurse asked.

"No, but the man's partner will be showing up with in the next few hours." The man said. To which both men said good evening to the nurse on shift and took their leave.

The two men carrying the body were the lieutenant and another man that answer to Jon Doe. They got back in the car and drove back to meet up with Jon Doe. Back in the emergency room hooked up to a ventilator was not the really Jason Wyler. It was Sam Hanna, using Deeks alias to avoid any unwanted visitors coming to finish the job Jack Murdoch was going to let nature do. After Sam was stabilized and prepped to be taken up to the operation room for surgery, the head nurse headed back to the her post to make a call to Wyler's boss: Lieutenant Bates.

"This is Lieutenant Bates."

"Hi Lieutenant Bates I'm Nurse Wendy over at Riverside Memorial Hospital calling to inform you that one of your detectives was brought into the emergency room." The nurse replied.

"Which detective?" Bates asked

"Jason Wyler, but there is a bit of problem though." Wendy said

"And the problem is?" Bates asked.

"Jason Wyler's information says that he is a Caucasian male, the gentleman that was brought is Black."

"That is a problem Nurse Wendy; one that I will look into. Thanks for the call, and please try to save the man on the table." Bates said to the nurse.

"We are by law required to offer the best help we can give to each patient. Have a good evening Lieutenant." Nurse Wendy said and then hung up the phone. Nurse Wendy filled out some more paperwork and head to the O.R. to assist with the rescue of Jason Wyler.

T.B.C.


	2. Operating Room Horrors and War Stories

Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S Los Angeles are property of CBS.

Author's Notes: This chapter is rated M due to a scene of graphic violence.

Nurse Wendy walked into the operating room and sense something was off, or it was heading in the direction of "we are going to have to go to great lengths to save this patient."

"Nurse, get him prepped so we can cut him open!" Doctor McGhee exclaimed.

"Jenny," Wendy said, trying to get the doctor's attention while remembering the man's words from the E.R.

"Wendy don't just stand there helps us prep him for surgery!" Doctor McGhee said to Wendy.

"Doctor!" Wendy shouted, effective stopping every person in the room in their tracks. "I think this patient is going to be in good physical health. The only thing we are going to have to keep on eye is his cardiac system."

The doctor looked Sam over and then turned his attention back to Wendy, "How can you tell that?"

"There wasn't a single thing wrong with him when he was brought in. No distorted in his joints, no stab wounds, or gunshot wounds." Wendy walked over to his machines and monitors and checks his IV drip. "I think Jason Wyler organs were stressed, but his coma is from mental stress. Run a diagnostics on his organs."

The nurses and doctors got to ordering the test that Wendy just said; whereas, Wendy prepped for a long battle to bring Sam back to the land of the living.

"Prep a crash cart, there is a possibility Mr. Wyler could flat line where we are here." Doctor McGhee said while running a test.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

It seemed like an eternity before he could move, but when he finally had the ability to control his head and open his eyes, he shut them again. His eye's had to the sudden brightness after the long time they were closed. When his eye finally adjusted to the light he realized that he was in a sterile white room. Almost like a hospital room. Then he was able to move his torso and arms, so he sat up right and looked around. There was nothing in the room besides a table and a single chair. On the table was a glass and pitcher of water. Then finally he had control of his legs and feet. So he got up off the floor and walked over to the table and poured and himself a glass of water and started to drink it.

"Are you wondering where you are?" said a voice from behind him. He turned to look behind him and saw a figure shroud in darkness, but there was nothing about this darkness that spelled trouble.

"You are in the deep recess of your mind Sam Hanna." Said the voice. Then figure made what looked like fist and punched Sam in the head, knocking him to the ground and hitting his head. Before Sam could move the figure was on him and was reaching its hand into his chest. The next thing that happened was that Sam's heart was stopping. "Sam, if you survive the cardiac arrest then your recovery will depend on whether or not you can make amends with your past."

{I'll be darned if that muscle is going to kick my butt!} Sam thought, and then struggled to get his heart to start beating again.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Back in the Operating Room the doctors and nurses were finishing their test and everything was coming back negative. So Wendy walked over started to cut off Sam's shirt. After she finished pulling of his shirt Wendy gasped in horror at the sight. Sam's chest and abdomen were fine, but his sides you could see scars.

"Turn him-"

Wendy was cut off by the heart monitor screech loudly that Sam was going into cardiac arrest. They doctors and nurses swarmed the table prepping the paddles and charged to the lowest setting and shocked Sam, but it was no good. The doctors and nurses did this for the next three setting, but it had the same result.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Sam was on the verge of death when the figure asked. "Are you ready to make peace with your past?"

Sam didn't respond at first and then he manage to nodd his head yes. The figure made a fist and gave Sam a sternal thump.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Just as the crew of the operating room were about to give up,

"Beep."

The doctors and nurses turned and looked at the heart monitor willing it to beep again.

"Beep… Beep…. Beep" the heart monitor registers Sam's heart beating again and they worked to make sure they kept the organ beating.

"We will keep Mr. Wyler in the O.R. for the next hour. And if situation remains unchanged then we will move him to the I.C.U." Doctor McGhee said. The crew went on high alert during that hour; they weren't about to lose this patient. Though they also knew that with comas, it's up to the patient if they are going to recover.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

When Sam finally got his body under control, he turned to the figure and asked, "Care to explain what just happened?"

"A necessary precaution," The figure replied, "The last person that visited me almost died because I didn't do that."

"Who was your last visitor?" Sam asked.

"G. Callen." The figure said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

An hour after Sam had been checked into the hospital; Callen pulled into to the E.R. parking lot, parked his car, turned it off and raced into the E.R.

"My name is Callen, I'm a federal agent," Callen said identifying himself and showing his badge, "I'm looking for a patient, his name is Jason Wyler."

"Is Jason Wyler a person of interest?" The nurse asked.

"Jason Wyler's real name is Samuel Hanna, he is also a federal agent, but for security purposes can we just leave him listed as Jason Wyler?" Callen asked

"Sure. Go ahead and head over to the waiting room I will appraise the head doctor on the operating staff of your arrival." The nurse said to Callen.

"Thanks." Callen said and headed to the waiting room.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

"So tell me Sam, where should we start first?" The figure asked.

"Huh, what do you mean "where to start first"?" Sam asked.

"How far in the past should we go: do we go all the way back to when you are a child-"

"There is no need to go back to my childhood. There is nothing to see from that time of my life." Sam said cutting off the figure.

"So how about your early days in the Navy?" The figure asked again.

"If this is about making peace with my past, a.k.a accepting that I don't have control over every situation, then we might as well start with in my early days as a SEAL. I remember some unforgivable situations back then. And then from there, well let's just start with my days as a SEAL." Sam said again.

Sam knew that this was going to dredge up some real nasty memories; memories that he had tried so hard to forget. Mass murders, destabilization of governments, civil wars; you name Sam has seen it played out. And there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"Any place in particular we should start?" The figure asked

"Bosnia." Sam stated.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen was walking in the waiting room when he noticed there was already a doctor waiting for him.

"You must be Callen, I'm Dr. Jennifer McGhee." The doctor said to Callen. Callen shook her hand as she continued speaking.

"Jason had flat lined about thirty minutes ago. Then as if by some miracle of God his heart started beating again. So because of the cardiac arrest he is listed as being in critical condition. Once the next thirty minutes are up, and he doesn't flat line again, we are moving him up to I.C.U." the doctor said, Callen nodded his thanks and took a seat. The doctor turned around and head back to the O.R. to keep an eye on Sam's condition. Doctor McGhee was gone five minutes, when Callen got a phone call.

"What do you need Hetty?" Callen asked.

"An update on Sam's condition would be a nice place to start." Hetty replied.

"Sam flat line on the operating table, so he is list as being in critical condition; but aside from that the doctor said he was fine. If everything is good for the next twenty-five minutes, they will be transporting Sam up to I.C.U.; any update on Kensi?" Callen asked

"Deeks and Nell just left to go rescue her." Hetty replied. "The man who rescued Sam has been sitting on a warehouse, but I haven't heard much else. Keep me apprised of the situation with Sam."

"Let me know if anything changes with the rest of the team." Callen said. After he hung up the phone he grabbed a magazine off the table.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

"So what was bad about Bosnia?" The Figure asked Sam.

The room that Sam was in had morphed from sterile white, too a war torn country. Sam was at a loss for words at first, and then he realized that what he was about to see was what he already live through, but being replayed on this "screen". Sam would see all the dead bodies, of the women and children, the soldiers trying to protect them, and then the soldiers trying to kill them.

"I think it was Bosnia that made me want to protect the innocent. Granted I was a Navy SEAL, so I had to follow orders. Even if those orders contradicted what I felt." Sam said.

Sam scanned hours of footage until he saw what he was looking for.

"Here." Sam said.

"Why here? Why not when you were engaged in in the main part of the mission? How about when you and your team were trying to make it to the extraction zone? And then finally waiting to be extracted" The figured asked, but they were hoping Sam would realize that the part he was stopped at was more stressful than the rest of the mission.

"Those parts are always stressful, comes with the territory. Besides, this is what you wanted me to see, isn't?" Sam asked the figure.

About a hundred yards from where Sam and the shadowy figure were standing was a spec. ops. squad moving around the outskirts of the settlement. Sam knew what was going to happen so he just watched on in what was horror and weary resignation as he watched his unit approach a makeshift graveyard.

"Do you want to relive the memory, or just watch it play out?" The figure asked again.

"No. I will just watch it without the audio." Sam said.

Sam remembered what happened next with perfect clarity. Sam's unit approached the settlement and saw the graveyard. It wasn't ever a graveyard technically; it was just a spot where the rebels had dumped the dead bodies of the villagers. The bodies of the dead men, women, children, and even babies were found lying there. Sam can fell the revulsion build in his body as he sees it play out in front of him again. Next thing that happens is his unit falls back to cover as the rebels bring more innocent villagers to be executed. The rebels line up the villagers and push them onto their knees; and then they start to execute them, one at a time. But when the rebels got to the last villager they decided to torture them first. The first round they start cutting on him. Nowhere that had an artery, but just to cause them pain. Then they started to just cut off parts of the body. First they started cutting off the villagers fingers and toes, then a hand was cut off, next to be cut off was a foot. And then finally when they had enough the villager was decapitated.

"How are you doing?" The figure asked. Two hundred meters from where Sam's unit was a few of the rebels were raping some of the women of the village. And after they were done raping them they execute the women. After they killed the women, a couple of the men raped the dead bodies. Sam's unit decided that it had waited long enough and skirt around the village

"This was my first time in the field with my unit. The unit was sent to capture the rebel leader if possible, execute if necessary." Sam said. "We decide to just execute the leader because the compound where he was located at had more security than what was in the mission briefing. We wait for a few days for the target to leave the compound, but he never left. So when an opportunity presented itself when shot him from a hill overlooking the compound and left before his troops could be dispatched. The extraction had gone off without a hitch. But to answer your question about my wellbeing when reliving the massacre at the village: it's no. I could feel the revulsion and nausea in my body just like I did when I first lived it.

"Aside from that?" the figure asked. And then Sam realized what this was all about.

"This is a trip down memory lane is to times in my life when I wanted to act to protect, but didn't or couldn't do so. I have to embrace the feelings in the moment and accept them as truth: that no matter what I can't always protect the innocent." Sam said.

"Congratulations Sam!" The figure exclaimed. "You learned your lesson faster than Callen did."

Upon hearing that last part he laughed a little.

{Callen could be hard headed at times.} Sam thought

"Where do you want to go next?" The figure asked.

"Afghanistan." Sam said

"What happened there?" The figure asked.

"I was wounded and on the run. I got separated from my unit and wound up in a little village out in the middle of nowhere." Sam said. And with that the room transform from a war torn country to a mountainous, and desert. And in the middle of the room was the little village.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Upon Dr. McGhee entering the waiting room Callen put the magazine back on the table and stood up as she approached him.

"Jason Wyler has been transport to I.C.U., but after we got him situation he start talking. Almost like he was remembering events from his past; we got a good look at his body. It had scars from being cut, stabbed and shot. What was Jason Wyler's past occupation before he came to L.A.P.D.?" She asked

"Jason had spent time in a section of the military with top secret classification." Callen responded.

"Anytime in a Special Forces unit?" Dr. McGhee asked.

"Thus the top secret classification." Callen said.

"Well Jason has been situated in his room. It's room 203. Take the elevator at the end of the hall to the 6th floor it's across from the nurse station." She said. Callen nodded his thanks and start to walk away.

"Do you think somebody will come for Jason?" The doctor asked,

"If they do, they will have a short trip to the emergency room." Callen said. The doctor had laughed at his statement and they both parted ways. When Callen got to the elevator and pressed the up button. When he got on he pressed the button for the sixth floor and pulled out his phone to call Hetty.

**T.B.C.**


	3. More War Stories

Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S. Los Angeles are property of CBS

A/N: 1) I do to proof read my stories before I post them, but sometimes I miss some parts. So I do apologize if there are some errors that I missed. 2) This chapter is rated M for graphic violence and a torture scene.

It was 4 in the morning by the time he made it to Riverside Memorial Hospital to see Callen. It turned to one heck of a day. Kensi and Sam had been kidnapped; and was Deeks nearly executed.

{And I still have to have to debrief Callen.} Nate thought.

He pulled up and parked his car in the E.R. parking lot and walked in.

"What room is Jason Wyler in?" Nate asked approaching the nurses station.

"And you are?" The nurse asked.

"Operational Psychologist Nathan Getz." Nate said.

"Mr. Wyler is in a coma Mr. Getz." The nurse said.

"That's okay I'm actually looking to have a chat with his protective detail." Nate said.

"Protective detail? Oh you mean Mr. Callen; 6th floor, room 203." The nurse said. With that Nate gave the nurse a smile, a nod and headed for the elevator.

{Let's see if we can finish this debrief without anymore interruptions.} Nate thought. As he approached the elevator Nate caught a suspicious figure out of the corner of his eye. He didn't let on that he notice that he had company, all Nate did was pull out his phone and text Callen.

N.C.I.S L.A.

Callen felt his pants vibrate, and realize it was his phone. He pulled his phone out and saw that he had a text from Nate.

[I came by to continue our debrief from yesterday, but I noticed that I was being followed. So expect trouble.]

Callen look up from his phone as he put it back into his pocket. Not that Callen was surprised that somebody was coming back to finish the job, he was expecting it to happen a lot sooner. There was a knock at the door that pulled Callen out of his head and back in to reality. He went to answer the door and saw that it was Nurse Wendy. But something was off; she seemed nervous. Then he remembered Nate's text and realized that this was the beginning of the trouble.

"Everything okay Nurse?" Callen asked, knowing the answer to the question. What he didn't expect, but wasn't surprised, was the knife that came his way. Callen dodged the knife and threw a punch that knocked the person out cold. He checked to see if Wendy was alright, and then search the unknown suspect. Check him for a wallet, or some form of id. He found his wallet on the inside jacket pocket. Callen opened it and saw that the owner was of Hispanic back ground.

"Juan Sanchez, huh? Who paid you and your partner to come and finish the job?" Callen asked knowing that Sanchez would not being answering.

"I want you to dose him with him with something that will put him out for about 12 hours." Callen said to the nurse.

"Why?" Wendy asked.

"Mr. Sanchez was here to finish the job that nature was supposed to do earlier." Callen said pointing over at Sam. "There is one more man coming up, so don't try and stop him."

"Help me get him behind the nurse's station." Wendy said to Callen. The two of them grabbed both ends of Juan Sanchez and carried him over to the Nurse station. After they put him down, Wendy went to get a sedative and Callen went back to Sam's room. Just as he was entering the room, Callen was hit in the back of his head knocking him to the floor in the room. Callen got his hands up in time before he hit his head. Callen got turned over onto his back, but before he could react he was being chocked by another Hispanic looking gentleman. Bigger than Mr. Sanchez; Callen tried to fight back, but his vision started to get cloudy. Then it started to darken due to the lack of oxygen to his brain. Just as Callen was starting to pass out and possibly die, he felt the grip on his throat disappear and he could breathe again.

"You okay Callen?" asked a voice. A voice that was strangely familiar, but couldn't place it because of the fog that was clouding his brain. Next he felt was getting slapped across the face that cleared his brain of the fog. Callen looked and saw that it was Nate, who was flanked by an army of nurses and doctors. Callen was lifted off the floor and into the chair that was in the room. He was checked out and then they dragged the big man out.

"Hey." Callen said grabbing the last nurse to leave the room.

"Yes." He said.

"That man is a suspect in an ongoing investigation. Put him with his partner. I will get some of my people to come and take these people off of your hands." He said.

"Yes, sir." The nurse said, and turned and left the room. Another nurse came back with some medicine and drink to take it with, which Callen had accepted willing.

"I owe you one." Callen said to Nate.

"You owe Nurse Wendy one. I came in after she had knocked the big guy out." Nate said with a smirk on his face.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom and get cleaned up. Why don't you grab a chair from the hall and get comfortable." Callen said.

"Okay." Nate said as he went into the hall and grabbed a chair. He brought it back into the room and placed it on the opposite side of the room and waited.

{This is the craziest mission this team has ever done.} Nate thought. He heard the toilet flush, followed by the sink turning on for a few seconds and then shut off. Callen came out while shutting the lights off. Callen sat down and then he wait for a second. Not for Nate to ask a question, but to gather his thoughts.

"Trying to figure out where to start?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, but I guess I'll start from the beginning." Callen said.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

"Why are we in Afghanistan? You know why that man did what he did for you." The shadowy figure said as they watched the village that Sam had been hiding in had been burned to the ground. Its inhabitants either died by fire or being shot. It was a bloody massacre. The insurgents that were chasing Sam and his unit had come back within 24 hours of Sam's escape and punished the village leader for protecting him. They killed everybody in the village: men, women, children and babies. Vultures came to feed on the corpses of the dead villagers, even fighting over a few of the corpses. Only the village elder and his nephew were the only two to escape. Yet again Sam felt the same nausea and revulsion he always felt whenever the innocent were slaughtered without hesitation, and with extreme prejudice. The insurgents were laughing and playing games as the massacred the village.

"The village elder granted Lokhay to you. So why are you haunted by this when he has already accepted the blame for what happened?" The figure asked.

"Look I know what he did and accept what he did, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow when he lost his whole family! He even shot his own nephew to protect me. I understand his sacrifice, but that doesn't make it any easier to accept and sleep at night!" Sam snapped at the figure.

"So are you saying that he should have given you up and let you die?" The figure asked.

"That's not what I'm saying." Sam said. "I accept what he did and I'm grateful for his sacrifice, I wish there would have been another way for that to play out. It's just…. I don't like when others suffer because of me."

"Like Detective Marty Deeks?" The figure asked.

The room went from the mountains of Afghanistan to that auto body shop in west Los Angeles. Sam turned and looked at the screen. He knew what would happen; he saw what happened first hand. Even though there was a door with glass; it was cloudy and it obscured his view, but he still saw what happened. Sam could have turned away, or said to skip the torture, but he owed Deeks too much to look away and not accept his sacrifice. Sam watched in horror as Sidorov's lackey had place the torture device in Deeks mouth and cranked it to full extension. Sam saw Deeks flinch after the lackey stepped away from him. Then he watched as they turned the drill on and shoved into Deeks mouth; utterly destroying it. The figure walked around and saw Sam was crying for the detective.

"Did you know that they broke his mandible and destroyed seventy-five percent of his teeth?" The figure asked and all he could see is more tears stream down Sam's face.

{That explains why I saw Deeks flinch as the lackey was stepping back from Deeks. His jaw was starting to break.} Sam thought.

"What is the detective to you?"

"Family." Sam said cleaning up the tears he had shed.

"Family, but you made it impossible to be on the team. How is Deeks family?" The figure asked.

"I made it hard for Deeks to be on the team and even questioned his character, but how could I deny Deeks a place after what he did?" Sam asked point at the screen where Sidorov and his man where still playing dentist on Deeks' mouth. "Deeks gave me C.P.R., and then suffered through five hours of torture, ten hours in the hospital just to turn around and save Michelle, Kensi, and me from Sidorov and his man. I made a mistake by not respecting him; it's not one I will be making again. I also said that I owe for the rest of my life. So yeah I can be a hard headed fool at times, but Deeks has more than proved himself. And I never demanded that Deeks get sent back to L.A.P.D.; I may have wanted to harm the Deeks for some of his comments, but I never asked for Deeks to be removed from the team." Sam said.

"Why?" The figure asked again.

"Because Deeks had a lot of connections in places that made our life easier than if we had to make them ourselves. And sometimes when he would talk about celebrity gossip it bugged me, but it normally had an angle that we could follow and it helped solve our cases quicker." Sam start to drift off into his thoughts about what life had been like with Deeks around. Yeah it was annoying, but a lot of cases were solved because of his unorthodox methods. Sam just watched in silence as he watched the rest of the events play out. Their rescue from the body shop, their stay and checking out of the hospital A.M.A, and the showdown at the hotel; it was a crazy case. A case that he wanted to forget, but knowing darn well that he, or the rest of the team wouldn't be forgetting anytime soon; or forgetting ever.

N.C.I.S L.A.

"So what happened while you were in Afghanistan Callen?" Nate asked.

"When we first arrived we went to the base camp were Granger, and Kensi were stationed. We stayed there for the night and rested up." Callen said. "In the morning we geared up and left for the caves that the White Ghost had been known to "haunt," metaphorically speaking, and waited for signs of the insurgents, or the target."

"What happened when you went in and cleared the tunnels?" Nate asked.

"Sam and I split up and check one section of the tunnel system while Deeks and Granger check another section. As we were search we ran into C.I.A. Sabatino, who had captured and we got into a fire fight with the insurgents or the Ghost's men to free him. After we dealt with them and cleared Sabatino, we heard a fight from another part of the system, so Sam and I ran to check it out. We ran into Granger who was wounded, but it wasn't critical. As Sam was patching Granger up, I hear gun fire and then I see Kensi and Deeks come running. I sensed something was off because they weren't bickering, or joking around. Before anybody could ask what happened to them we came under fire. So we shot our way out of the caves back to the caravan. On the flight home Kensi and Deeks were arguing the entire time. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but it was bad. I remember that a few times last week those two almost got into a fist fight in the middle of the mission."

"Do you think it will destroy their partnership?" Nate asked

"I don't think so. I got a look at them yesterday, and they seem to be healing. There was a little bickering between the two when Deeks walked in late yesterday. They have a long way to go, but knowing them it'll pass with time." Callen said.

"Gentlemen I hate to interrupt, but you are going to have to carry on this debrief somewhere else." Hetty said walking into the room.

"Why?" Callen asked.

"I called her while I was on the way up to see you." Nate said.

"I have a safe house prepped and a medical staff on standby until Sam has recovered from his coma." Hetty said. Callen got up as a team of doctors had come in and prepped Sam for the transport to the safe house.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about Nate?" Callen asked

"No, I think I have everything I need." Nate said. He shook hands with Callen and then left.

"There are two guys over at the nurse's station that tried to kill Sam and me. They were given a sedative and are waiting to be taken into custody." Callen said pointing towards the station.

"I will send somebody to collect and to interrogate them when they wake up." Hetty said.

"What time do you want me into work Hetty?" Callen asked.

"I don't want you in." Hetty said dryly.

"Why?" Callen asked

"Our team has been requested to take part in an operation to stop a person of interest from helping a terrorist group carry out a terror attack against the United States, or any other country for that fact." Hetty said.

"Hetty." Said a voice Callen that couldn't recognize. They both turned and looked and saw a man standing in the door way.

"Ah, Callen this is Jon Doe; Jon Doe this is Callen." Hetty said introducing the two men. The men shook hands and Jon spoke next.

"Can we take this somewhere a little more private? I have sensitive information to discuss." Jon said.

"There is a team of doctors in the E.R. parking lot that will take care of your patient and finish prepping him for transport to one of our safe houses." Hetty said to one of the doctors.

"Yes ma'am." The doctor said. With that Hetty, Jon and Callen left the room so the doctors and nurses could finish prepping Sam to be moved from the hospital. They went and found a conference room and shut the door. It was as private as it was going to get in the hospital.

"So I have you to thank for saving my team?" Callen asked Jon.

"Yes you do." Jon said, and the men shook hands again.

"So what information do you have to discuss with us?" Hetty asked.

"Well we interrogated the suspect and at first he gave us spotty information. Then we had to start to use more creative methods to get the information. When he started making sense, we verified his information and came up with this." Jon said as he pulled out a folder and put it on the table. A folder that Hetty and Callen didn't see he was carrying at first.

"You got creative?" Callen asked. "Are you an American citizen?" Callen asked.

"Let's just say that my unit is a necessary evil Mr. Callen. I know you don't approve of the methods we used, but let's say just say we gave Mr. Murdoch a taste of his own medicine." Jon said. Callen was uneasy, but remained quick and let Hetty do the talking for the rest of the meeting. While they were talking Hetty was looking over the information. It made light of an Ari Akbar and an Italian man by the name of Matteo Romano.

"Who are these people? I see reference to an Ari Akbar and a Matteo Romano." Hetty asked.

The first picture Jon pulled out of the folder was, of no surprise, an Arabic man. Late thirties, about five feet six inches tall, and in the range one hundred twenty to one hundred thirty pounds, with black hair. He has no facial hair. The next picture he pulled out was that of Matteo Romano, but it was strangely familiar. It had an uncanny resemblance to Deeks.

"Isn't that Deeks?!" Callen questioned.

"Yes." Jon said

"Like I said earlier, our team has been request to take part in this operation." Hetty said cutting off Callen.

"Does he still have the violin?" Jon asked

"I have it back at our base, but I'm supposed to be meeting him there in two hours and twenty-five minutes." Hetty said checking her watch.

"Give him this." Jon said pulling out more paper from the folder he was holding. He handed it to Callen.

"Sheet music? What is Deeks going to need sheet music for?" Callen asked.

"Mr. Akbar has a penchant for symphonies. And word has been swirling the music world that Matteo Romano is a person to see live. How are Deeks people skills?" Jon asked

"In our unit, his skills are top notch." Callen said "I get the feeling that you are going to give Mr. Akbar a free back stage pass, and while he is visiting Deeks that's when we, my team and your team, move in and take him down." Callen said.

"That's pretty much the operation in a nutshell." Jon said. Callen handed the sheet music over to head and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Hetty asked

"To go find Sam." Callen said.

"The safe house is near the P.C.H.; have Eric text you the address." Hetty said as she threw Callen a key to let him into the house.

"Thank you Hetty." Callen said and then left. When Callen had left the room Jon continued the brief.

"The symphony is still six months away, and I'll update Deeks when he needs to meet with the director." Jon said.

"I'm guessing you know somebody that is traveling with the symphony that is willing to "implant" Mr. Deeks to assist with this little operation." Hetty said.

"Yes I do. I have friends everywhere, and nowhere." Jon said. With that he packed papers back into the folder and shook hands with Hetty.

"Next time you see Deeks, tell him that I want to see him and Kensi at the boat house." Jon said.

"Why?" Hetty said.

"Jack wants to talk to Kensi, and I want to talk to Deeks." Jon said.

"Jack and Kensi talking sounds like a bad idea." Hetty said.

"It's the request of a man who knows his death is imminent." Jon said.

Hetty let Jon's words sink and understood the gravity of his meaning.

"I'll tell them to meet there at 12 P.M.; anything else we need to discuss?" Hetty asked.

"No that's all for now. Thank you Hetty." Jon said.

Hetty knew that letting Kensi talk to Jack, for a lack of a better phrase, was going to be a bad idea, but she fears that if she doesn't it might affect the mission. The talk is going to affect both of her agents. Hetty smiled when the thought "agents" went through her mind, but it's the game she chose to play when she joined the C.I.A.; and the again when she accepted this position from Macey.

{I hope that chat with Jack doesn't affect Kensi and Deeks that deeply,} Hetty thought, {because if it does it could be a long six months.}

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Next thing Sam saw was that was that the room had returned to the sterile white hospital look and feel and no longer the auto body shop that Deeks and him were tortured in.

{When did that happened?} Sam thought.

"So what did you learn?" The shadowy figure asked breaking Sam out of his thoughts

"No matter how hard I try I can't protect everybody." Sam said

"But what can you do as a consolation prize?" The figure asked again.

"Protect those closes to me. My wife and my child, Callen, Kensi, Deeks, Hetty, Nell, and Eric; I can protect those I see on a daily basis." Sam said with a smirk.

There was a pause between the two figures: one man of the flesh, and one of the psyche. And then a door appeared behind Sam. He turned and looked at it in amazement, and then he remembered that he was in his mind. So things can just appear out of nowhere.

"When you go through that door, you will be on the return trip to your body. But beware: you will see images of your life flash across the walls. All from your past, and possibly from the future that has yet to play out; do not fear these images. Accept them and keep moving. If you fail and become overwhelmed with fear you will never make it back to your body." The figure said. It started to turn and leave, but it sensed Sam's hesitation. "There is nothing left to see here, so open that door and return to the real world."

With that the figure disappeared. Sam walks towards the door and puts his hand on the knob. Sam took three deep breaths preparing himself for what he was about to see and then opened the door and walk through it and shutting it firmly behind him.

N.C.I.S. L.A

Callen was walking through the door to the safe and found the atmosphere to be a buzz with electric energy. He saw a doctor in passing and asked.

"What's going on?"

"Who are you?" The doctor asked.

"G. Callen, N.C.I.S.; that's my partner that your team is working on." Call replied showing his badge and Id.

"Mr. Hana's brain waves are spiking." The doctor said.

"Is Sam flat lining again?" Callen asked out of fear.

"No this is more when he is about to wake up. I have to say your partner is a strong willed person. Most patients that are comatose don't show that kind of brain activity that quickly. I think he could wake up anytime." The doctor said.

"That's great news!" Callen said excitedly.

"But don't get all excited just yet. Just because I said he could want anytime doesn't mean you should break out the champagne just yet. Mr. Hana could wake up now, or within the next 24 hours. It could take him a few days to wake up." The doctor said.

"I'll take a few days as opposed to a few months any day of the week." Callen said. The doctor smiled at this and got back to work.

Callen figure that if anything changed, or should Sam wake up the doctors would notify him. So Callen snuck off to one of the rooms and tried to get some sleep. Between the guard duty and the six month stretch waiting for the symphony operation, it was going to be long and boring. Callen yawned just as he was entering the bedroom. He shut the door and walked over to the bed. Callen put his phone on the night stand, took his shoes off, and got between the sheets. As soon as his head got comfortable on the pillow, Callen was out and sleeping peacefully.

**T.B.C.**


	4. Mind Games

Disclaimer: This goes without saying: the characters are property of CBS.

{Oh my.} Sam thought.

Sam looked all around and could see the scenes from his past flash before his eyes. He look back to see if the door was still behind him and…. saw nothing.

{This gives new meaning to the phrase "No going back."} Sam thought

He turned back to the scenes from his life playing on the walls and ceiling and started walking. He could see the time when he was being born in the hospital; his parents in the hospital room. And then, later, his father in the delivery ward looking in on Sam in his crib.

{Wow! My parents were really young when they had me. They must have had me when they were either in their late teens, or early twenties!} Sam thought.

He stopped to admire the start of his life into his family, and moved on. Sam saw his life play out on the screens all around him. His years as a toddler, when he was a young child. Sam even saw the first day of school when he went to kindergarten.

{Check out that head of hair.} Sam thought. He saw his younger self with a mini afro. Sam smiled, shook his head and moved on.

"I really hope I don't see my entire life play out on these screens." Sam said as he continued walking. Wish as he might, Sam was going to have to view some of his more painful years of his life before this journey was done.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen woke up to the sound of whispering just outside his door. Callen got out of bed, put his shoes and tied them, grabbed his phone, and then headed for the door. Callen checked the small of his back for his weapon and found that he slept with it still in place.

{Great thing I slept on my belly. Or I would have had a horrible back ache.} Callen thought.

Callen opened the door to see what all the commotion was about, and he was great by the same doctor from last earlier, plus a nurse.

"Mr. Callen, good you're awake." The doctor said. "How was your rest, I take it that it was peaceful?"

"I'm used to getting less sleep than what I just got." Callen said looking at his watch. It was one in the afternoon. "Wow. I must have been really tired to have slept for five hours."

"Good, you will be prepared." The doctor said and doled out the last set of orders the nurse and turned back to Callen.

"Prepared for, what?" Callen asked.

"Mr. Hanna will be walking anytime like I said, it all depends on him. When he does wake up he will want to see a familiar face; thus your role in this little procedure." The doctor said.

Callen nodded to the doctor and headed to the kitchen and to make a pot of coffee. After Callen set the up the machine to make the liquid heaven he pulled out his phone and checked in with Hetty.

"What's the word Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked.

"The doctor thinks that Sam could be waking today, or anytime really." Callen said.

"That's good news." Hetty said.

"How are Kensi and Deeks holding up?" He asked.

"They're right here if you want to talk to them?" She said.

"I wanted your professional opinion." He said.

"The next twenty-four hours will be pivotal." Hetty said.

"Thanks. I call when the miracle happens. Or with/looking for an update." Callen said.

"I eagerly await that call." She said hanging up the phone.

"So do I." Callen said. When Callen put the phone down on the counter, he saw that the coffee had finished brewing. So he poured himself a cup and walked back into the "operating room," metaphorically speaking, and got comfortable. Callen put his gun on the little table next his chair and placed his coffee next to it. Who knows when this miracle will; only time will tell.

N.C.I.S L.A.

Sam kept walking forward and occasionally stopped to watch the scenes play out in front of him. Sometimes he watched in silence, sometimes he would repeat the words that go with the scene from his life. He looked behind and saw that the wall where the door had been had disappeared and saw that the floor is slowly disappearing behind him. Sam almost freaked and started to run, but then he remembered the figures words about not being afraid.

{This has got to be the biggest mind game I have ever seen.} Sam thought. He turned around and continued walking and looking on in silence. Watching more scenes from his life play out in front of him. Sam saw scenes from when he was in junior high school, and a few scenes from high school.

{Not a whole lot to see there. I remember those days being extremely mundane, and boring. I'm surprised none of those people tried to kill me.} Sam thought. He saw a scene when he got his first tattoo. He smiled at getting it and continued walking. All of a sudden the room started to shake and Sam heard a voice.

"S..m ….. an….. you … hear…e? Sam … y.o …. ne… to… com… back… to m.. big g…. You … nee… to wake …. Sam."

{That voice sounded G.} Sam thought. It was coming from the direction in front of him. So Sam continued on his way bidding his time and watching the memories play out.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen had drifted off while he was waiting for Sam to wake up. The doctors were all riled up.

"Mr. Callen talk to Mr. Hanna; it possible that he could flat line again." The doctor said. Callen jumped up grabbed Sam's body and started to shake it.

"Sam can you hear me?! Sam you need to come back to me big guy! You need to wake up Sam!" Callen exclaimed.

After he finished his sentence Sam's heart monitor had went back to a steady, slow pace. It seemed the danger had passed for the moment. Callen had sat back down in his chair and grabbed his coffee cup. The coffee had grown cold since he had made it. So Callen went back to the kitchen to make another cup, but when he got there the coffee pot had been drained. Callen had finished his cup and looked out the window. He had admired the neighborhood that he had seen through the window.

{The doctors have it under control. I'm- never mind, on second thought I'm going to watch the neighborhood from indoors; not exactly sure if I was followed here or not.} Callen thought.

The thought of a home life with children was blowing through his mind, but finding the right woman is always the hardest part. Callen walked back to his chair and got comfortable. Looks like it could be another long run before Sam to wakes up.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Sam continued his stroll down memory lane, literally! He saw the day he graduated from high school. Sam walked a little further and saw his days as he was entering into the military. His days in boot camp, and then on to advanced training, it was a wild time going through those training courses.

{Those days were crazy.} Sam thought. {I didn't think I was ever going to see the civilization again.}

He saw a few years go by, and then his induction, and training to become a Navy SEAL.

{Proudest day of my life.} Sam thought {Or at least one of the proudest days.}

Sam dreaded what happened next. He had to re watch some of the uglier days of his youth. He watched all the brutal, nasty, obscene, and absurdities that came with being a Navy SEAL; the war crimes, the genocide, the toppling of governments. To this day he still has trouble accepting what he did. Sometimes he would have nightmares about them. The nightmares are nothing like back when the first surfaced, but you learn to deal with them and move on. Then the next scene tripped Sam out: he saw a younger version of himself and G starting out as partners.

"I have no idea who is choosing my memories, but thank you for skipping my days with the C.I.A.; you have no idea how much I thank you for that." Sam said out loud.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen woke up again, but everything was quiet. Maybe to quite for his taste, so he got up, stretched, and went to find the doctor.

"What's the news doctor?" Callen asked finding them in the study.

"Everything is good. And I'm probably sure you figured it out, but it's too quiet. But my earlier assertion still stands: Mr. Hanna could walk up at any time." The doctor said.

"Is there anything you need from me?" Callen asked

"Until he wakes up, and is fully functional, guard duty. And even after he wakes and can take of himself you're on guard duty." The doctor said. Callen nodded his head and looked at his watch. He looked at his and saw that it was a quarter til six. He walked into the kitchen and checked for food. Callen made a ham and cheese sandwich, and picked his phone off of the counter to call Hetty.

"Yes Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked.

"How's the rest of the team doing?" Callen asked.

"I sent them away after our last chat a few hours ago. I briefed them on the mission and gave them some new alias to keep them out of the way until the mission." She said.

"How long are they going silent for?" He asked.

"The team is going of the grid for six months." She replied.

"Why are we going off for that long?!" Callen exclaimed. The medical staff looked at Callen and he took it out onto the back porch.

"Because of the nature of the op, it being six months out, Jon asked that I remove this team from service until the op. has been set up and prepared to be carried out. We need to be well rested and prepared for anything Mr. Callen." Hetty said.

"What about Sam's family?" He asked.

"Once Sam has been given a clean bill of health by the staff, I will bring you two in and brief on the mission," She said "after that I will give the two of you a safe house to lay low in, and new identities until Jon comes back. Once you two have your identities then you can work it out from there." She said "If you need to get in touch with Kensi and Deeks contact me, and I will pass the message on. We need to keep the four of you separated until the symphony. Anything else? "

"No. I'll contact you when Sam is mobile again. Good bye Hetty." Callen said

"Good bye Mr. Callen." Hetty said

Callen hung up the phone and came back in to finish eating his food. After he washed the dishes he took his place by Sam's bed and waited.

{And we play the waiting game some more.} Callen thought.

Callen looked the medical team and they all nodded at him. So Callen got comfortable and drifted off to sleep again.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Sam continued to watch as the different mission that Callen and he had taken. And then later, years later, Kensi came along. And then a few years after that Deeks had joined the team.

{How did I miss the usefulness that Deeks brought to the team?} Sam thought.

Sam saw all the times the team had worked together with Deeks. From the M.M.A. gym when they first met him, to when they went to rescue Hetty in Romania. Even when he went to the aircraft carrier and help us solve that murder of the N.C.I.S agent afloat.

"And he blew that case wide open off of some spinach!" Sam exclaimed.

Next he saw the run in with Janvier. And then everything seemed like a blur. Sam couldn't see what was happening because his vision had fogged up.

"Boom!"

As Sam picked himself off the floor he realized that there was a wall there. He rubbed his face, jaw, and neck to work out the sudden soreness of hitting the wall followed by hitting the ground. Sam looked up and saw a plaque above the door; which magically appeared also.

{Have to love the mind. It can make things appear out of nowhere.} Sam thought.

"Enter in wandering warrior, and reclaim what is yours. Reclaim it, and move on to your next battle." Sam said reading the plaque.

Sam reached for the doorknob and thought of all that he had just seen. Sam had to relive his life, and he would have been lying if he wanted to stay here any longer than he needed to be. So Sam turned the knob and entered the room shutting the door behind him. Over on the floor in the middle of the sat his body.

**T.B.C.**

A/N: I apologize for the brevity of the chapter, but the next chapter will right up your alley. I promise.


	5. The Warrior Within

Disclaimer: The characters of N.C.I.S Los Angeles are property of CBS.

A/N: I apologize for the long break between chapters. Usually it's because I'm writing a chapter for my other story, but I hope you enjoy.

Sam walked over to his body and stared at it. He was unsure of how to get back into it.

{I learned a lot of things when I was in the SEALs,} Sam thought {but put my consciousness back in my body was not on the list.}

"So tell me Mr. Hanna, what is you desire?" a voice asked.

Sam turned around and saw that it was Hetty.

"Tell us Sam what you desire?" asked another voice.

Walking up behind her was Nate.

"Is this this some kind of joke?" Sam asked.

"We took on the form of people you know that way it would make the next part a little easier." The figure posing Hetty said.

"The process we are about to start is going to be harrowing, but with familiar faces, it will make it easier going forward." The Nate figure said.

"I'm in my head, and you thought picking people I trust would make the job easier?" Sam asked

"I could pick Michelle if that would be easier." Hetty said

"That won't be necessary." Sam said. "I want to keep this professional and make it go faster. Having Michelle around would "delay" the process of getting me out of here." Sam replied.

"As you wish." Hetty said. Nate and Hetty walked over to a computer and started to operate the piece of machinery. All Sam could do was stand there and watch them. The room had darken slightly and the wall behind him started to glow; so Sam turned around and saw that the wall was glowing like a movie theater screen, but it was blank.

"The screen is going to play shoots from your life, past present, and future." Nate said.

"Future?" Sam asked.

"This isn't our first rodeo, Mr. Hanna." Hetty said

"Future, okay. You got it." Sam said holding his hands up in surrender.

"And no matter what happens, just go with the flow." Nate said. At that Sam turned and looked at the two.

"You might not be the real "Nate", but that is definitely something he would say." Sam said before he turned back to the screen.

"I try." Nate replied. Sam chuckled as he watched the screen darken before images appeared on the screen. He saw, or watched the scenes from his past life replay on the screen again, but unlike the last time he thought he would play along. Sam repeated the words he spoke like he was watching a movie he has already seen, but what he didn't notice was that Hetty and Nate were working the computer. They type in a few algorithms, and the room started to darken completely. Which got Sam's attention, but Hetty said not to worry about it, so Sam ignored it. If his mind had chosen Hetty and Nate, then he figured that he had no reason to fear. What he didn't see was that his body had started to rise into the air, and then it turns long ways with the feet dangling towards the ground. Hetty and Nate continued to type in more lines of code and the body starts to regain its composure. They continue to type in lines of code preparing the way for when Sam's consciousness would reenter it and return to the real world, so they keep typing.

"This is new." Sam said. He saw the events of the days after the teams return from Afghanistan. A lot if it was focused around Kensi and Deeks. There was a lot of fighting. Then he saw a moment with Nell and Kensi, and there was crying involved.

"I'm not sure how you got these scenes and I don't know." Sam said. He continued to watch the scene play out between his sister and the redheaded tech and came to the realization that Kensi had just forgiven Deeks for what had transpired in Afghanistan.

{The events are starting to makes sense. Yesterday, or whatever day it is, when Deeks walk into the office Kensi wasn't mad or ready to rip Deeks a new one. She had seemed more forgiving, and almost remorseful. Kensi realized that Deeks did what he needed to do to save the team.} Sam thought.

Then it skipped to the day when they were slated for the psych evals. Sam watched everybody come to work, but he was concerned with Deeks.

"Can you isolate Deeks data stream leading up to the day the team was attacked?" Sam asked. Nate complied and typed into the computer as Hetty continued working on Sam's body. While Sam was running surveillance on Deeks stream Nate turned to Hetty.

"How are we doing?" Nate asked. Hetty looked at the monitor.

"About thirty-five percent complete." She responded, Nate grabbed a tablet and walked around to Sam. Nate knew that a good way to help Hetty was get Sam to dig deeper, and open his cerebral cortex to be more receptive of Hetty's rewrite attempts. By the time Nate approached Sam, Sam had found a few anomalies in the data stream.

"See this guy here." Sam said enlarging the screen of a white male. "Can you track him in the rest of the team's data streams? I mean the rest: not just the field agents, but Eric, Nell and Hetty."

Nate synch his tablet with the data stream and start a search for the person in question. After the results had popped Nate put it back up on the screen.

"Yeah his team was following everybody, but most of the concentration was on Deeks." Nate said.

"Okay. Isolate Deeks stream for-" Sam stopped in mid-sentence. He wasn't sure how long he should make the search parameters for.

"Sam." Nate said. Sam was trying to think how long. Should he isolate the stream since they have return from Afghanistan, or from a much later date?

"How long do I isolate the stream for Sam?" Nate asked. Then Sam decided to see how things played for Deeks.

"Isolate the stream for the past forty-eight hours. Whoever they were, they were after Deeks. And punch in that picture and look for him." Sam said.

Sam watched as the screen had darken again, and then it showed the interior of Deeks apartment, Deeks had started to get up and then got a wet surprise from Monty. Sam chuckled when he saw Monty. Then Deeks and Monty went for a run together. After their run Deeks went surfing, but it was only for a little while because the waves weren't that receptive that morning. Deeks packed his gear up and went home. While Sam was watching Deeks life play out, Nate had turned to get an update from Hetty. She had mouthed that she was about fifty percent done. Then Nate got an alert and turned his attention back to the screen. Deeks was exiting a music shop on the 33rd street. He zoomed in on the man in question. He was two blocks south of the music shop on a roof top. Sam saw the table with the paperwork and pictures. He also saw the rifle that was near the edge of the roof.

"Fast forward to the next time Deeks comes back." Sam said. Nate hit the fast forward and couple hours later Deeks had returned to that same music shop. Sam saw the guy on the roof react to Deeks arrival and made a phone call. Down on the street two guys that Sam was unaware of had walked into the music shop about five minutes after Deeks did. The guy on the roof was prepping to take the shoot for when, Sam thought, Deeks exited the music shop. Behind the man was another man, who walked up behind him and executed him. Then he took the shots killing his associates.

"Don't worry about the rest- on second thought can you show me what happened with Deeks." Sam said.

After Deeks escaped with his with his life, he headed to that same rooftop where the sniper was. He was there for about a half hour. During that time he got a phone call and a text. From there he went to a house that looked familiar. When the owner came to the house he recognized Julia Feldman. From there they went to the boat shed. While Deeks was at the boat shed with Julia, he was playing a violin.

"I never knew Deeks played the violin? To follow that up when did Deeks get the violin?" Sam asked

"He got it at the music shop back on 33rd street." Nate said. Nate saw that Deeks had received company it was Callen and Nell.

"Deeks is playing a violin. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that there is an operation coming up in the future that has him playing the violin." Sam said.

And with that the screen change, and Sam saw Deeks in an opera house playing the instrument. The house was packed out, and Deeks was putting on show for the ages.

{I want to hear him play.} Sam thought. Nate looked at Hetty and she mouth ninety-five percent. Nate look at his body and saw that the restraints were being attached in preparation for the bonding process, and then Sam turned around to look at Hetty and went stiff as a board upon seeing his body hanging in the middle of the room. Nate was about tell Sam to remain calm, but Sam cut him off.

"This is about one of the craziest things I have ever seen, but given what I have seen in the past thirty to forty plus years of my life I'm going to ignore the fact that my body is hanging in the middle of my room. Better yet I will say "Any other day of the week that might seem strange", but I digress." Sam said. Nate laugh and Hetty gave Sam her trade mark smile.

"So… this isn't your first rodeo, huh?" Sam asked.

"No. Why do you ask, Mr. Hanna?" Hetty asked.

"No reason, just wondering. So, how does this work?" Sam asked looking at his body.

"Well that depends on you Mr. Hanna. You have to bond with your body to become one again before we can start the process to send you back to the real world." Nate said.

"We're ready to begin when you are Mr. Hanna." Hetty said.

"So, how does this work?" Sam asked as he was walking over to his body and sized it up. Hetty was about to speak when Nate cut her off.

"Sam don't touch-"

But he never finished that sentence. Sam had touched his body and there was an electric shock that went through his body. The explosive discharge sent Sam flying across the room hitting the wall and then falling to the ground with a thud. Nate and Hetty ran over to check on Sam, but he was unconscious.

"Great. Hetty said.

"Hetty, how much was left before Sam touched his body?" Nate asked.

"Ninety-nine percent." She said.

"Well it looks like we're going to be here a while." Nate said.

Nate and Hetty had to wait for Sam to wake up. And that could be a few hours, or it could be longer. So they got comfortable and waited for him to wake up. While they were waiting Hetty reset the computer for the bonding process. They're going to have to start all over again.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen had woken up and saw that it was dark in the house and he could hear Sam's heart monitor. He got up to check on the situation. He found a doctor and nurse in the side room whispering and it got him concerned.

"Anything wrong?" Callen asked.

"There was a fluctuation in his brain waves about thirty minutes ago, but that has subsided for the moment." The doctor said.

"So the problem is not with Sam." Callen said, more as a statement than a question.

"Yes and no." The doctor said.

"How so?" Callen asked.

"The problem is that he is back in a coma for the time being. We thought he would be waking up, but there aren't any brain waves on the monitor to be found. Whatever happened about half hour ago put Mr. Hanna back in a coma." The doctor said.

"Thanks for the update. Everything quiet around the house? No foreseeable problems?" Callen asked. The nurse checked her watch.

"At two o'clock in the morning? No problems so far." The nurse said.

"Thanks. Let me know if you need anything, or if there is any changes in his condition." Callen said. The doctor and nurse nodded back and Callen left to call Hetty. On his way back to the kitchen he grabbed his phone and gave Sam's hand a squeeze.

"Pull through big guy. I wouldn't be able to face Michelle if you died on my watch." Callen said and then continue heading towards the kitchen. As he got in the kitchen he took a seat at the table and called Hetty.

"What's the word Mr. Callen?" Hetty asked.

{It's two o'clock in the morning and she doesn't even sound sleepy. That is one skill she going to have to teach me.} Callen thought

"It comes with spending late nights on missions waiting for a target to show itself." Hetty said as if reading his mind.

"Down to business then." Callen said, chiding himself for being so transparent. "Sam is back in a coma again."

"Any idea how it happened?" Hetty asked.

"Unless they create a device that lets us look into his brain and see the event on a monitor, then no." Callen said. "Any word on Kensi and Deeks?" 

"I'll contact them in the morning." Hetty said. "Get to bed Mr. Callen; it could be another long day tomorrow."

"Yes Hetty." Callen said.

"Be safe Mr. Callen. I don't need another agent on a bed fighting to recover." Hetty said to Callen.

"I will, and good night Hetty." Callen said.

"Night Mr. Callen." Hetty said hanging up the phone.

Callen disconnected the call and checked the battery life. He had thirty percent left on the battery before it had to be charged again. So Callen walked back into the room with Sam's body. Grabbing his gun off the table next to the bed, wished Sam good night and headed for the spare room. Callen put his gun under the pillow and put his phone and the table next to the bed. He pulled a charge cable out draw on the table and hooked his phone up. Callen took his shoes off and got comfortable on the bed. Once he felt comfortable, Callen drifted off to a dreamless slumber. What he wanted was out of his reach, taunting him to reach out and take it with all his might. But no matter how hard he tried Sam was still unconscious.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

About four hours later Sam starts to stir; causing Hetty and Nate to rush over to check to make sure he is okay.

"How many times has that happened during one of your "rodeos"?" Sam asked using air quotes when he spoke the word rodeo.

"I have to say that was a first." Nate said.

"It would have been nice if you would have said that before we started to watch the scenes." Sam said.

"We apologize for the mishap Mr. Hanna, but we didn't know that was going to happen. Relax here and we will start the process." Hetty said turning and heading back to the console and starting the download for the bonding process again. To Nate and Hetty's surprise the download process went faster this time. Next thing Hetty saw was one hundred percent completion on the screen and then nodded at Nate to prep Sam for the process. Nate nodded back at her before he proceeds to instruct Sam on how to prepare for the bonding process.

"Sam I want to stand over here." Nate said.

Sam got up off the ground and walked over to where Nate was standing. He stood there waiting for more instructions.

"Turn you back to Hetty and lift your hands about three inches, to the side, from your body with your palms facing out." Nate said. Sam did as Nate said raising his hands and turning the palms forward. Nate nodded at Hetty to begin the process. Hetty start the program to bond Sam's consciousness with his body, and then Nate continued.

"Sam, you're going to feel a current surging through your body. That current is what is going to merge your consciousness and your body together. So relax your body and be ready for anything." Nate said. After he finished speaking Hetty visibly saw Sam relax his muscles throughout his body, and then she typed the algorithm into the computer to merge the Sam's mind and body. Upon feeling his body his body touch him, Sam tensed up for a half a second and then relaxed again.

"How are you doing Sam?" Nate asked.

"I'm great. Reminds me of the time when I was in that auto body shop being tortured by Sidorov. I'll make do." Sam said.

Nate looked at Hetty for an update, but Hetty had a look of shock on her face. Nate ran over to the console to see what the problem was. The screen read that it was ninety-five percent complete. This was a cause of concern.

"How is this possible?" Nate asked.

"I'm not sure." Hetty said. With that there was a blinding like and a sonic boom. Both Hetty and Nate hit the floor covering their ears. It was ten minutes before either Nate or Hetty moved. Nate got into a crawling position and made his way over to Hetty.

"Are you okay?" Nate asked.

"I'm fine." Hetty said. She stood up and made her way over to the console and typed a few keys to get an update.

"How are we doing?" Nate asked.

"Part one is done. Now on to part two." Hetty said. Both Nate and Hetty started type in lines of code and different algorithms that would Sam back into the real world.

N.I.C.S. L.A.

Four hours later Sam started to stir. First thing he did was open his eye and check his surroundings.

"Before you try and stand up give me another five minutes to correct something." Nate told Sam. So Sam remained motionless on the floor until Nate told him he was good to move. What was five turned into thirty minutes before he heard either of the talk. When he heard a voice it was Hetty's.

"You can move, stand up, roll around, or whatever you fell like doing Mr. Hanna." She said. Sam took his time getting off the floor. He could feel the residual aftereffects of the currents still in his body. When Sam got off the floor he stretched and worked the stiffness out of his body.

"How do you feel?" Nate asked.

"Sore, but I will live." Sam said.

"Good news and great news." Hetty said.

"Shoot." Sam said.

"Good news: The bonding process was a success!" Hetty said. Sam just stared at her with a blank look. To which Hetty just pointed at the floor. Sam looked down and saw nothing. And then he registered that his body and mind had been bonded back together again.

"And the great news?" Sam asked with a grin on his face.

"Walk through that door and you will return to the world." Nate said. Sam shook both Nate and Hetty's hand and walked over to the door. Sam turned and looked at Hetty and Nate one last time. It wasn't that he was sad because he was leaving them behind. It was more out of habit. Spending time with somebody and you just want one last look before he leaves them behind; they both waved good bye to Sam. To which he nods his good bye. Sam turned back to the door, reaching for the door knob. He turned the knob opened the door, crossing the threshold between reality and his subconsciousness and shut the door behind him.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Callen was on the verge of walking up when he heard a loud noise. It sound like a muffled scream, and then he understood what was going on.

"G!"

"That sounded like Sam." Callen said. He jumped out of bed and ran into the main room and saw that Sam had indeed woken up.

"Where the heck have you been G?!" Sam exclaimed.

"I was in the bedroom taking a catnap, but to be more technical I was sleeping; seeing as how you were still in a coma." Callen replied as he walked over to bed. Callen and Sam stared at each other for thirty seconds before they gave each other a hug.

"Welcome back to the land of the living, big guy." Callen said as he pulled back from the hug. He sat in the chair that was next to the bed.

"Feels good to be back. How long was I out?" Sam asked.

"About thirty-six hours." Callen said.

"Knowing you, you need a bath. I can smell you all the way over here." Sam said reaching a hand up and pinching his nose.

"Speaking for yourself big guy." Callen said.

"Unlike you I was in a coma, and couldn't take a shower. You, you have no excuse." Sam said.

"Yeah, yeah whatever." Callen said. "I'm going to call Hetty to tell her that you're awake."

"I'll be here." Sam said. Callen chuckled and walked back to the room and grabbed the phone off the table. After removing the charge cable, Callen called Hetty.

"Any news?" Hetty asked.

"Yes Sam is awake. As a matter of fact I woke up to Sam screaming my name. After that he cracked a joke about me needing to take a shower." Callen said. He could hear Hetty laughing in the background.

"After Sam has been clear by the doctors both of you go home and take a shower. You two will have twenty-four hours to relax, and do whatever. After that time period, pack your bags and come back to the mission for your alias until the symphony mission." Hetty said.

"You got it Hetty. Any words to pass onto Sam?" He asked

"Tell him that he has been missed." Hetty said.

"I'll do that. Good bye Hetty." Callen said.

"Good bye Mr. Callen." Hetty said and then hung up the phone. Callen put the phone on the table and walked back out into the main room and saw the doctors and nurses finished checking Sam's vitals and then took his seat next to the bed.

"So, what's the word?" Sam asked.

"After the doctors clear you, Hetty say that we are to go home and freshen up, and then we have twenty-four hours to relax." Callen said. Sam gave Callen a questioning look.

"After our twenty-four hour relaxing period we have to go undercover for six months until the next mission." Callen said.

"What's happening in six months?" Sam asked.

"The team was contract by a black ops group to help with a mission to take down a man known to finance terrorist groups. Hetty will fill in the blanks later." Callen said.

"Alright." Sam said. The two friends sat there for a while and talked shop and remembering old missions.

N.I.C.S. L.A.

Four days after Sam woke up the doctors declared he was fit to take care of himself. So Sam and Callen helped the doctors and nurses clean up the equipment and pack it into the medical vehicles behind the house. They all said they thank yous and good byes and went their ways. The medical staff back to their hospitals, and the agents back to their houses. After twenty-fours of rest, Sam and Callen packed their bags and headed to the mission to get the details of the mission and what they would be doing for the next six months until said mission was ready to be executed.

**T.B.C.**

A/N: This will most likely be the last chapter, aside from the epilogue. If you want to see how it all ends, sorry for another shameless plug, jump back over to The Fire Rises.


	6. Six Month Haul and Opera Halls

Disclaimer: The characters appearing in this story are property of CBS

As Callen and Sam were walking in to the mission it was business as usual, and then they notice something that was off. The atmosphere remained the same, but something else was off. They walked up to the bull pen and saw that their desk had occupied; along with their owners gear. Sam and Callen shared a look, and then jump out of their skins when Hetty approached them from behind and started talking.

"Mr. Callen to my office; Mr. Hanna, to the armory." Hetty said and then walked away.

"I'll take your bag big guy." Callen said to Sam. Sam handed his bag to G, and then head to the armory.

"Thanks G." Sam said. Callen walked over to Hetty's office and put the bags down and took a seat in the chairs.

"So… who is replacing us while we're on leave?" Callen asked.

"Red team." Hetty said without looking up from her paperwork.

"Then where are they at?" Callen asked

"They're in Ops being briefed on the case that just came in." Hetty said. Callen looked over his shoulder at Ops and wondered about the case, but it wasn't necessary. He knew the mission would be in good hands while they were gone. Paris is a top agent and would get the job done with them were gone. "How is Joelle doing?"

"She's good. Kind of rough having to part ways for a six month haul, but she knows that I'll be back. I told I would be back." Callen said.

"And that you would pick up from where you left off at?" Hetty asked

"Yeah, spent this much time building the relationship not going to quit now; definitely continuing after the op." Callen said. Hetty opened her drawer and pulled out two pieces of paper. One had the words "Callen" written on it the other had "Sam" on it. Callen looked up at Hetty with cautious look on his face.

"Kensi and Deeks are going to be together for the next sixth month haul, and won't be missing their partners. Think of this as a secure line to communicate with you loved ones while on assignment." Hetty said. Callen smiled back and realized that in the folded paper was an email address for which Sam and Callen where to communicate with their lovers, and family.

"So how did it go?" Callen asked.

"How did what go?" Hetty asked.

"How did Kensi and Deeks react to the reasons behind the Afghanistan assignment?" Callen asked.

"They are accepting my judgment for the time being, but I will have to earn their respect, and trust in the future if I want them to trust me again." Hetty said.

"You didn't do anything wrong." He said.

"Are you sure about that Mr. Callen?" She said

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asked.

"They both admit they made mistakes, but given the state of the year they had it was a bit harsh to send Kensi away like that." She said.

"How so?" He asked.

"Kensi is the only one who was helping Deeks cope with his trauma, and I sent her away." She said.

"Deeks was doing well." He said.

"No I think "Mr. Deeks was doing just fine" would be the proper phrase, wouldn't you say?" She asked.

"Come on Hetty you were just doing your job." Callen said. "They weren't thinking properly and it could have gotten the team killed."

"Be that as it may, but we never got Mr. Deeks the necessary treatment to cope with the sudden reassignment, let alone to cope with the rigors of the job." Hetty said.

"True, but how are we supposed to help if Deeks didn't reach out for help?" Callen asked.

"Mr. Deeks didn't know what to do, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't have reached out sooner and got the help that he needed, instead of leaving he to suffer in silence. Kensi went to his house and helped him to get better enough to quell the chaos inside so he can return to work. Not only that look at the treatment he received for the first few years he was here: you followed my lead and accept him. You never reached out to him and made Mr. Deeks feel welcomed. Mr. Hanna practically hated Mr. Deeks from day one; and it took Mr. Deeks practically dying before Mr. Hanna received him as one of our own. I know Kensi was trying to gauge if the detective could keep up with her, but it took her a year before she accepted him as her partner. Mr. Deeks provide crucial information that would have taken months, even years for us to set up and acquire and he handed it over on a silver platter; yet you guys still kept your eyes on him like he was the weak link." She said. Callen couldn't respond to that accusation because he knew it was true, so he just sat in silence for the time being. After a few minutes he got up and started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Hetty asked.

"To the range. Sitting here until Sam is done with Nate is going to be boring." Callen said and then walked off. Hetty just shook her head and returned to her paper work.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Upon entering the armory Sam realized the purpose of the visit when he saw the lone occupant standing at the middle table: Nate Getz.

"What can I do you for Nate?" Sam asked.

"You know the answer to that question." Nate replied.

"Yeah I do." Sam said. Sam sighed and approached the middle table and took a seat. Nate pulled up a chair and waited for Sam to start.

"Now where do you want me to start from?" Sam asked.

"Wherever you are most the comfortable starting from." Nate said.

"I wasn't happy about Kensi reassignment because of the affect it would have on Deeks. I know if I had been in his position and Michelle was my anchor, and she got shipped out, I would have been feeling the pain." Sam said.

"Did you say something to Hetty about it?" Nate asked.

"This is Hetty we're talking about. She already made the decision before anybody knew what was going on. G and I asked for clarification, but she already made her decision. I'm surprised Deeks made it as far as he did without relapsing; though he could have and didn't tell anybody." Sam said.

"What makes you say that?" Nate asked.

"Well he didn't receive a warm welcome. I didn't give him the respect he deserved, and everybody else was just wary of him because he was a cop and not an agent." Sam said.

"Even though he proved himself over and over again?" Nate asked.

"I won't speak for Callen, or Kensi; they are going have to give an account for that later. All I know is: Deeks is a willing to do the job; even at the expense of his own wellbeing. Not only that Deeks gets paid to lie for a living. Kensi would be the only person to truly Deeks personality and demeanor." Sam said. "Just wish I was more forgiving of Deeks, and his methods."

"Okay, before this session goes any further, I'm going to divert it back to the main topic at hand: Afghanistan and your abduction." Nate said which got an eye roll out of Sam. "Something wrong?"

"Afghanistan is nothing I haven't dealt with before. I was concerned for Deeks and his condition, but I wasn't really affected by the mission itself." Sam said.

"Why were you worried about Deeks?" Nate asked.

"Kensi was his anchor, and she was gone for four months. Then she goes running off to get answers about a relationship that she hasn't dealt with for nearly a decade, I think. All the while she has no back up, or means of communication. I know Kensi is afraid to lose Deeks, but she isn't willing to see that it's a two way street. Her death would affect Deeks just as deeply as his death would affect her, but Kensi will have to learn that lesson someday. I just hope it's not too late." Sam said.

So, onto the abduction then." Nate said. Sam chuckled at Nate's enthusiasm and became stoic. He doesn't remember much other than being knocked out and tied to a chair, and then more instruments of horror cause pain to him.

"I don't really remember that much about the incident, other than I spent a lot off time unconscious. When I was awake I was being tortured, and then questioned by a random stranger asking about the White Ghost, followed again with more torture. After a while I blacked out. I'm guessing that was about the time I fell into a coma because the next thing I know I'm laying a hospital bed in one of our safe house surrounded by a medical team that Hetty hired." Sam said.

"What happen while you were in your coma?" Nate asked.

"I took a stroll down memory lane." Sam said. That got a sideways glance out of Nate. "I saw scenes from my past: as a child and a teenager; then my days in the Navy. Then I saw a scenes working with N.C.I.S.; it was very "nostalgic", though I'd be glad if I didn't have to relive that experience."

"Also a possibility in this field." Nate said.

"That is a bridge I will cross when I get there, Nate." Sam said.

"I will say that you have a high strength of will." Nate said.

"How so?" Sam asked.

"You were in a coma for a day and a half and came through no worse for wear." Nate said.

"Here's to hoping I don't have to live through again." Sam said. "Nate if you don't have anything else to ask, I'm going to go find Hetty. I've come to terms with the events of the past four months and in as good of shape mentally as I can be."

"Actually go find Callen, I will talk to Hetty." Nate said. With that the men shook hands and part ways upon exiting the armory: Sam was heading to the range and Nate to Hetty's office.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Sam was approaching the firing when G had loaded another magazine and emptied it into the target. He had seemed a little upset by his talk with Hetty.

{Time for me to go talk some sense into the man.} Sam thought. After Callen load another magazine and unloaded it into the target, Sam walked into chat with Callen about Hetty's decision.

"What was the conversation with Hetty about?" Sam asked G.

"She said that she would have to regain Kensi and Deeks trust again in the future after her decision to send Kensi on the Afghanistan mission." G said.

"And she shouldn't have to why?" Sam asked.

"Because they weren't using their heads; and could have gotten us all killed." Callen said.

"True, but you know that sooner or later those two were going to act on their feeling. You know that." Sam said.

"Too bad they couldn't have picked a better time to do so." Callen said.

"Kensi and Deeks aren't you, G. And love, albeit dangerous, makes us do things that we wouldn't think twice about. Like Deeks not shooting Kensi. If that would have happened twenty-fours ago, he would have taken that shot; now that they are on the same page emotionally, more or less, Deeks isn't willing to take any action that would bring harm to Kensi. The only thing Kensi should have done differently was being more mindful of Talita's henchmen. Other than that, nothing was foul play really." Sam said.

Callen took Sam's words to heart, but was still conflicted. Though if he was honest with himself, he couldn't pass blame any further because they have already owned their mistakes and promised, though he knows it was going to happen again one way or another, to be more mindful in the future.

"Give the relationship with Joelle some time, and then you will understand their dilemma." Sam said resting a hand on G's shoulder. To which G just nodded his understand of the conversation. Next thing that happened was both of their phones started to sound of, it was a text from Eric.

"We are need up in Ops." Sam said. Callen reloaded his gun, and holstered it. Then both G and Sam walked up to ops to get briefed on what was going to happen while waiting for Jon Doe to resurface.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Fifteen minutes earlier…..

"Dr. Getz, what's the good word on the team?" Hetty asked.

"They are damaged, but functioning properly enough that they can return to the field." Nate said. "Got anything you want to add to that?"

"What is your assessment of Kensi and Mr. Deeks?" She asked.

"They are afraid for each other, but they will work it out. Their relationship can cloud their judgment, but given the events of the past year the relationship will also get them back on track to a full recovery." Nate said. Hetty pick up her desk phone and made a call up to Ops.

"Mr. Beale." Hetty said.

"Yes Hetty." Eric said.

"Would you page Callen and Sam to Ops. It's time to get them out of here and into the field." She said.

"On it." He said hanging up the phone. Hetty stood up and walked around to where Nate was and shook his hand.

"Your work here is finished for the time being. So you can go get packed to catch the next flight out to continue your field work." Hetty said.

"Alright and thank you, and tell the team I had fun seeing them again." Nate said.

"I will." Hetty said. With that Nate took his leave to pack his bags and fly off to the next hot zone that he was needed in.

N.C.I.S L.A.

Sam and G walk into ops and were briefed on what was to happen. Basically they were given new identities to take a vacation for the next sixth months so they were relaxed and prepared for the symphony op. Callen's identity was that of Ross Barton, a security guard at a mall in San Diego; and Sam's was John Sylibus, a sanitation engineer at the same mall that Callen was a security guard at. With their identities in hand same and Callen left and headed for San Diego to begin their op.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

Six months later….

The team was recalled to discuss the operation with Jon Doe at the opera house. Deeks was not present for most of the mission briefings because he was at said opera house practicing with the symphony. It was a basic operation: Deeks was to distract the target long enough for Callen, Sam, Kensi, and Jon Doe and his men to get into position and take him down. The operations was in three days; so everybody went their separate ways until the mission: Sam went home to Michelle and his child, Callen went to keep Joelle company, and Kensi and Deeks went back to his apartment and got comfortable until the op.

N.C.I.S. L.A.

The night at the op, Deeks was already present at the opera hall to get prepared with the symphony. Then an hour before the production the rest of the team showed up and got into their roles waiting for the target to show up.

"You guys ever hear Deeks play?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Callen said.

"Yes." Nell said over the ear wig.

"No." Eric said

"I have not." Hetty said.

"I was with him for the past six months; as not to make this awkward, yes I have." Kensi said. That got a laugh out of Nell and Eric.

"Well I'm going to go out on a limb and say I'm in for a treat." Sam said.

"Yes you are Sam. Yes you are." Callen said.

"Alright folks look alive; the target has just arrived and is heading to his seat." Jon Doe replied. Everybody sounded off and was in position. With that the lights in the hall darkened and the M.C. took the stage and introduced the symphony, and walked off. The symphony took their seats. The last thing that was heard before the symphony started to play came from Kensi.

"Knock 'em dead Shaggy." Kensi

"You got it Sugar bear." Deeks said. After Deeks finished speaking the conductor brought the symphony to attention and started the concert.

**THE END**

A/N: Thanks for coming along on this journey. The symphony mission will be, as I said in the previous chapter, will be part of the closing act to the story The Fire Rises. I wrote this story so I wouldn't confuse you with jumping back and forth between Kensi and Deeks story, and Sam and Callen's story. Thanks again, and thanks for supporting me.


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